[mykel]

Unfortunately, yes.

Yous guys now have me looking at teh Spanks in place of the Sixc.
Everybody who rides it seems to love it. Not yet read a poor or indifferent review.

But it's not plastic, so just may ruin my plans...

 

[DaveW]

 

[Mo(n)arch]

But they sound SO good when they go.

How was the funeral?
It was clearly the Charger's fault.

 

[ianjenn]

FYI at Sea Otter this past year a guy on a T275 snapped his SPANK bar off the log drop. It was 2 weeks old he said.....

 

[Westy]

Have you considered a fat bike?

 

[mykel]

FYI at Sea Otter this past year a guy on a T275 snapped his SPANK bar off the log drop. It was 2 weeks old he said.....

hmm... maybe my plans won't be ruined after all.

Would be nice to be able to run a back to back test.

I know from experience what a carbon bar can do - it just feels better on the hand, and allows me to ride harder and longer before my hand gives up. Usually long enough to not have to stop until the bottom. Better to work out the cramps in the lift line than stopping mid hill.

People seem to like the feel of the Sixc, so in lieu of finding an affordable Syntace, I figured - done.

However, it sounds like the Spank also does what I want. So which would be the better?...

Now, I really don't know which way to go.

 

[ianjenn]

That may be a 1 off case. I have not heard of it happening besides that 1 time...

 

[StiHacka]

That may be a 1 off case. I have not heard of it happening besides that 1 time...

'coz there are no survivors to tell their story.

 

[Jm_]

FYI at Sea Otter this past year a guy on a T275 snapped his SPANK bar off the log drop. It was 2 weeks old he said.....

Well yeah, but that's because it has 27.5 wheels.

 

[kickstand]

and was an intense, we all know the frame was misaligned causing more pressure to be on one side of the bars than the other which overloaded the one side causing the bar to snap

 

[kidwoo]

OP are you still alive?

hmm... maybe my plans won't be ruined after all.

Would be nice to be able to run a back to back test.

I know from experience what a carbon bar can do - it just feels better on the hand, and allows me to ride harder and longer before my hand gives up. Usually long enough to not have to stop until the bottom. Better to work out the cramps in the lift line than stopping mid hill.

People seem to like the feel of the Sixc, so in lieu of finding an affordable Syntace, I figured - done.

However, it sounds like the Spank also does what I want. So which would be the better?...

Now, I really don't know which way to go.

I have one of those Kore aluminum bars (the mega, not the dh one) on my trail bike. It flexes. They taper them down to a pretty thin wall by the time you get to the grip area, so much so that some bar plug ends don't even stay in them.

I haven't ridden a spank vivavoom thing but that kore bar really does act as another suspension device. I'm kind of torn between big fat stiff 35mm bars, and how much better my hands feel on a flexy one now.

The carbon bars I've ridden have been all over the place. I like how stiff some of them are moreso than any sort of damping qualities (which seem to be all over the place between brands/models).

The sixCs I've ridden have impressed me more with the stiffness of their bad selves more than any kind of hand saver.

 

[HAB]

I have one of those Kore aluminum bars (the mega, not the dh one) on my trail bike. It flexes. They taper them down to a pretty thin wall by the time you get to the grip area, so much so that some bar plug ends don't even stay in them.

I haven't ridden a spank vivavoom thing but that kore bar really does act as another suspension device. I'm kind of torn between big fat stiff 35mm bars, and how much better my hands feel on a flexy one now.

The carbon bars I've ridden have been all over the place. I like how stiff some of them are moreso than any sort of damping qualities (which seem to be all over the place between brands/models).

The sixCs I've ridden have impressed me more with the stiffness of their bad selves more than any kind of hand saver.

Yeah, I have a Kore aluminum bar on my DHR, and it's super flexy. Seems like it maybe helps a little for hand fatigue if you're cranking out laps all day, maybe, but the lack of stiffness does feel a little goofy sometimes. I've got Renthal carbons on both my trail bikes, and they're a better compromise.

 

[Nick]

Make a really loud sound when it breaks I mean. Carbon has a report that simply can't be beat.

A couple of years ago my apartment was within the US Criterium Championship course. I basically walked around drinking beer and watching races for a weekend. The speed some of these guys/gals reached was down right scary. Anyway the day of the Pro finals it rained, and I saw more than a few riders crash, push through turns into curbs, etc. The sound of carbon frames and forks snapping was like gunshots!

/coolstorybro

 

[kidwoo]

Yeah, I have a Kore aluminum bar on my DHR, and it's super flexy. Seems like it maybe helps a little for hand fatigue if you're cranking out laps all day, maybe, but the lack of stiffness does feel a little goofy sometimes. I've got Renthal carbons on both my trail bikes, and they're a better compromise.

I tend to just go with what 'rides best' over comfort. Just like I'll never run ergon grips just because my hands go numb occasionally. I'll be in a wheelchair soon but handling will always be the priority.

But those kore megas are definitely something I've noticed reduce the little BS pains 'after' a lot of riding. Just figured I'd mention it.

 

[HAB]

I tend to just go with what 'rides best' over comfort. Just like I'll never run ergon grips just because my hands go numb occasionally. I'll be in a wheelchair soon but handling will always be the priority.

But those kore megas are definitely something I've noticed reduce the little BS pains 'after' a lot of riding. Just figured I'd mention it.

Oh definitely. I just bought that Kore because it was a) wide and b) flat back before those were readily available in the same bar. I haven't cared enough to change it yet, but there's a reason I didn't, you know, buy more of them.

 

[mykel]

So ended up going with a 780mm 8 degree 20mm rise DH rated carbon bar with a 10 year warranty.

Yup, said Fvck It, and ordered the Syntace Vector, a pair of ODI TLD grips and some sweet gold lock on collars.

The canadian dollar fell another third of a cent, so what the hell.
My kids now have festivus presents to give the old man.
Problem Solved.

 

[ianjenn]

From the last good Slayer album listen to that while riding the plastic bars.

 

[Lelandjt]

Weird to have a carbon DH bar thread without mention of Easton. I remember when they were the only option. I really like the sweep of my Havoc. It just feels better than my Santa Cruz. I think more backsweep.

 

[djjohnr]

From the last good Slayer album listen to that while riding the plastic bars.

No love for Seasons in the Abyss?

 

[ianjenn]

No love for Seasons in the Abyss?

I saw them on that tour. That has some good songs as well. That is the last album of their I purchased. It is pretty strong also...just like aluminum bars.

 

[jstuhlman]

lulz. i always considered seasons the last good album. it was also the first cd i ever bought. i saw them a few years later in vienna (fall of 95). it was badazz.

just remember...crabon barz?...

 

[jimw]

I never thought I'd run carbon bars, but about a year ago I accidentally cut my steer tube too short, and in the process of finding replacement bars with a little more rise to make up for the difference, I ended up with these:

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/ftb/mtb-components/handlebars/sworks-dh-carbon-handlebar

I love em. I actually tried a set of Renthal Carbon Fatbars first, but I liked the sweep numbers on the Spec bar better. Just feels right to me. No durability issues so far. The only carbon bits on my bike at this point are these and the cranks. So far so good...

 

[Lelandjt]

^Funny cuz those are the carbon parts people were most worried about breaking a few years ago.

 

[jimw]

Yeah I know. I was a longtime holdout. The carbon cranks came on a bike I got a few years back so I figured I'd give them a try, and replace them when they inevitably broke. Surprisingly they're still going strong and have held up to some serious abuse, without even having the little rubber end caps. The bars seem to be doing well. Still can't quite get myself to go to plastic wheels tho...

 

[DaveW]

Yeah with carbon rims, if you're not the kinda rider who checks tyre pressures before almost every ride they are not for you...... unless you really like replacing them often.

 

[csermonet]

dont carbon wheels have a fundamentally different feel? its not like you can just save some weight and be all good, they actually ride different? is it for better or worse? or is it subjective?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

dont carbon wheels have a fundamentally different feel? its not like you can just save some weight and be all good, they actually ride different? is it for better or worse? or is it subjective?

It's something that only dentists can properly appreciate.

 

[Kanye West]

Has anyone ever done a full characterization of carbon bars and aluminum bars and published it? Force-displacement curves to failure, multi-cycle fatigue at different loads/displacements to simulate long term use, etc, etc?

 

[ianjenn]

dont carbon wheels have a fundamentally different feel? its not like you can just save some weight and be all good, they actually ride different? is it for better or worse? or is it subjective?

That DERBY wheelset I had on the MEGATRAIL was brutal. No flex and that added to frame being stiff, 36 Fork and 35mm bars the bike at time felt like it was beating you to death. If you have a flexy frame it wont matter much I would guess....

 

[kidwoo]

dont carbon wheels have a fundamentally different feel? its not like you can just save some weight and be all good, they actually ride different? is it for better or worse? or is it subjective?

Yes.

Basically take everything ianjenn just said and change it to 'precision'.

They are more chattery though.

 

[HAB]

Yes.

Basically take everything ianjenn just said and change it to 'precision'.

They are more chattery though.

I do have a pair of Enves on my hardtail, which I've been meaning to try replacing with something softer just to see if that helps with the chatter, but I absolutely love them on my Megatrail.